Felicia ‘Snoop’ Pearson of ‘The Wire’ Arrested in Drug Raid

Felicia Pearson, best known for her role as Snoop on the HBO drama “The Wire,” was among dozens of people arrested for allegedly conspiring to sell and distribute illegal drugs in Baltimore.

Dubbed “Operation Unusual Suspects,” the arrests were part of a five-month drug investigation conducted by local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities that reportedly focused on a large-scale heroin and marijuana operation.

David Simon, the creator of “The Wire,” released a lengthy statement on Pearson’s arrest which read, in part “First of all, Felicia’s entitled to the presumption of innocence.And I would note that a previous, but recent drug arrest that targeted her was later found to be unwarranted and the charges were dropped.”

Simon went on to say that “Both our Constitution and our common law guarantee that we will be judged by our peers. But in truth, there are now two Americas, politically and economically distinct. I, for one, do not qualify as a peer to Felicia Pearson. The opportunities and experiences of her life do not correspond in any way with my own, and her America is different from my own. I am therefore ill-equipped to be her judge in this matter.”

Pearson, 30, was born to a crack-addicted mother and served time in jail for second-degree murder after killing a teenage girl at 14 years old.

About Speakeasy

Speakeasy is a blog covering media, entertainment, celebrity and the arts. The publication is produced by Barbara Chai and Jonathan Welsh with contributions from the Wall Street Journal staff and others. Write to us at speakeasy@wsj.com or follow us on Twitter at @WSJSpeakeasy or individually @barbarachai.